Pseudomonas aeruginosa: A Rare Cause of Necrotizing Fasciitis
Abstract
Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a rare but life-threatening soft tissue infection characterized by rapid progression, systemic toxicity, and high mortality. While Group A Streptococcus is the most common pathogen, Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an uncommon cause, typically reported in immunocompromised patients. We present the case of a 77-year-old male with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), chronic kidney disease, and other comorbidities who initially presented to an outside facility with three days of fever and left lower extremity pain. He was admitted with presumed cellulitis, and blood cultures grew Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Despite appropriate antibiotic therapy with vancomycin and ceftriaxone, the patient developed worsening pain, septic shock, rhabdomyolysis, and renal failure, prompting transfer to our facility for higher-level care. Examination revealed tense swelling of the left lower extremity, multiple bullae, and severe pain. Given concern for Pseudomonas NF, he underwent emergent above-the-knee amputation, followed by multiple debridements. He was subsequently transferred for advanced plastic surgical closure in stable condition. Pseudomonas aeruginosa remains a rare but severe cause of NF, particularly in immunocompromised patients with hematologic malignancies. Immunosuppression likely contributed to the unusual pathogen and aggressive clinical course in this case. Delayed diagnosis appears to be associated with increased mortality, underscoring the importance of…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a case report, done in people. Its evidence level is 5 of 5 (Very low · case / narrative / animal / in vitro / in silico). Case reports, narrative reviews, and animal, cell or computer-model studies give the weakest evidence for human health.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Penicillins for Treatment of Pneumococcal Pneumonia: Does In Vitro Resistance Really Matter?
- Thiophenes—Naturally Occurring Plant Metabolites: Biological Activities and In Silico Evaluation of Their Potential as Cathepsin D Inhibitors
- Inhalable Mannosylated Rifampicin–Curcumin Co-Loaded Nanomicelles with Enhanced In Vitro Antimicrobial Efficacy for an Optimized Pulmonary Tuberculosis Therapy
- Development and validation of microbial bioassay for quantification of Levofloxacin in pharmaceutical preparations
- GC-MS Analysis and Biomedical Therapy of Oil from n-Hexane Fraction of Scutellaria edelbergii Rech. f.: In Vitro, In Vivo, and In Silico Approach
- Propranolol, chlorpromazine and diclofenac restore susceptibility of extensively drug-resistant (XDR)-Acinetobacter baumannii to fluoroquinolones
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.